Ava sat up straight and wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Oh. For how long?”
“Indefinitely.”
The last thing he expected was for her eyes to fill with tears, or for her to try to hide her face from him. As much as she’d hurt his pride when she rejected him, he wasn’t that much of an asshole that he’d let her cry and not try to comfort her.
He strode over to the bed and sat on the edge. “Come here,” he said, taking her into his arms.
“I’m sorry…” she gulped. “I’m sure there are more important things than babysitting me.”
“It isn’t that, Ava. I crossed a line I shouldn’t have, and I regret it.”
“Oh,” she said, pulling away from him and wiping at her tears. “Um, excuse me.”
He watched her walk into the bathroom and close the door behind her. How else should he have said it? I’m sorry I thought that sex between us meant something. I’m sorry I came on too strong, professing my undying love for you, when we’ve known each other less than a week. I’m sorry I’m the asshole who thought sex meant love when I’m the one who has been insisting it doesn’t all my life.
When she came out of the bathroom, she had what looked like a toiletry bag in her hand. She walked over to the suitcase she’d left on his bedroom floor, put the bag inside, and zipped it up.
“I’m ready,” she said, standing it on end and wheeling it to the doorway.
“Where is everything we bought yesterday?”
She looked at him like she didn’t understand the question.
“Didn’t you put anything away?”
“Oh,” she said again, laying the suitcase flat on the floor and opening the zipper. “I’m sorry.”
Razor knelt down beside her. “Ava, what are you doing?”
“I’m taking the clothes out that you bought. I never should’ve put them in my suitcase in the first place. I just didn’t realize…” She put her head in her hands.
“Stop this,” he said, moving her hands away from her face. He stood, pulling her up with him.
“I thought you would’ve unpacked. That’s all. The clothes we bought are yours.”
“I can’t keep them. I don’t want them.”
Razor was about to ask why when he heard the front door open.
“Go away,” he shouted.
“Raze?” said Gunner. “Where are you?”
He and Monk came around the corner. Gunner looked down at the suitcase lying open in the doorway of the bedroom, and then looked between Razor and Ava.
“I thought she was staying here.”
“She is,” he answered. “We need a minute.”
Razor watched both men back away. “Better yet, you can leave, and I’ll call you in a few.”
“Roger that,” said Gunner, waving behind him and motioning for Monk to follow.
Ava was back down on her knees, rummaging through the suitcase, pulling out everything that he’d bought the day before, folding it, and putting it in a pile.
“Most of it still has the tags on.”
“Leave it, Ava.” He took her arm and helped her to her feet a second time. “Come with me.”